Wooden siding vent



Sept 26, 1967 13 c. A. MAYFIELD 3,343,323

WOODEN SIDING VENT Fj led April 12, 1965 im. WM; t 5

INVENTOR 1e d ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,343,323 WOODEN SIDING VENT Cornelius A. Mayfield, 133 E. Pacific, Grand Saline, Tex. 75140 Filed Apr. 12, 1965, Ser. No. 447,503 Claims. (Cl. 52303) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A vent for the air space between the inside and outside walls of frame structures.

'Wooden siding of the overlapping joint'type is widely used in the construction of frame buildings and is most often employed by nailing or otherwise securing it in a horizontal position upon vertical upright building studs, the other face of the studs receiving gypsum board or some other suitable interior wall forming material. This results in the enclosure betweenadjacent studs of a space which is' not vented and withinwhich the condensation of moisture almost invariably occurs. Since the interior faces of the siding planks normally receive no protective coating such as paint, and since even if the interior faces were painted prior to securing of the planks to the studs, such protective coating could not be renewed as necessary, and often such interior protective coating would fail. The result is the premature rotting from the inside out of the siding planks and sometimes the studs. Further, the moisture penetrates the siding from the inside out and causes premature peeling therefrom of the exterior paintIAs a consequence, a problem arises as to the prevention of condensation of moisture between the interior and exterior walls, and the solution lies 'in properl'y ventilating-or .venting these spaces. This invention relates to an improved venting member for such use. Numerous structures have been proposed for carrying out the desired venting operation, but either they do not provide sufficient ventilation, are not sufficiently resistant to weather conditions such as driving rain, are unsightly, or have other objectionable features; l

It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved venting member for wooden siding which displays more than adequate ventilation capabilities, is substantially weatherproof, and in no way detracts from the ornamental appearanceiof the exterior siding wall. 3 A A further object of the invention is to provide an improved venting memberadapted to be positioned between the entire lengths of two adjacent siding planks and which is so contoured so as to fit neatlyand securely into the overlapping joint of such planks to the accompanying drawing, wherein examples of the invention are shown, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged fragmentary, vertical-sectional view of a building wall showing installed therein a venting member constructed in accordance with this invention, the view being taken on line 1-1 of FIG. 2,

I FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, front elevational view of the building wall, parts of the structure being broken away to illustrate the venting member,

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, front elevational view of a modified form of the venting member, the view being partly broken away to illustrate the structure, FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating a further modification of the invention,

, FIG. 5 is an enlarged, vertical, cross-sectional 'view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 4, and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view in perspective, partly broken away, of the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In the drawing, the numeral 10 designates a conventional exterior wall of a frame building comprising studs 11, an interior surfacing 12 of gypsum board or the like and an exterior surfacing of wooden siding planks 12. The siding planks 12 are conventional and have the forward or outer portion of their upper longitudinal edgescut away to form an upstanding rib 13 on the rearward half of their upper edges and the rearward portion of their lower An additional object of the invention is to provide an '7 improved venting member. for wooden sidingwhich is easily and readily painted, or which receives any other suitable or desirable protective coating at the same time the siding planks themselves are being so painted or protected.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved venting member for wooden siding which may be secured directly to the building studs and which is installed in the same manner as a siding plank, the venting member nesting with the siding plank beneath it and the siding pla-nk above it in the same snug and secure manner that the siding planks nest with one another.

Other and more particular objects will be apparent from a reading of the following description.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference longitudinal edges cut away to form a recess 14 extending along the rearward half of their lower edges and dimensioned to receive the ribs 13. The recesses have bottom walls 15 and sidewalls 16, the walls 15 and 16 usually being of approximately the same width. In applying the siding planksto the studs 11, the lowermost plank is first secured to the studs by nailing or any other suitable fastening, succeeding upper siding planks being positioned so that the recesses 14 receive the ribs 13 to form an overlapping joint. The vent or ventingmember 17 of this invention is adapted ;to he -received within the overlapping joint ,between a lower siding plank 18 and the next orupper siding plank 19 immediately thereabove, the venting member spacing the lowerand upper siding planks apart a short distance and being received in the recess 14 on the lower longitudinal edge of the upper plank 19 and embracing the upstanding 'rib 13 of the lower siding plank .18.,The;venting member extends the entire length of the joint between the lower and upper siding planks of the entire-length; of the wall of which the siding planks form a portion and are desirably secured to the studs 11 as by nailing in the same fashion the siding planks are secured thereto, ale though the mere'enga'ging of the venting member with the upper and lower planks and the securing of the latter to thestuds is sufiicient .tohold the venting member 17 in place; i 1 v The venting member 17 is formed ofthin sheet metal and is desirably galvanized or provided with some other suitable type of protective and/ or corrosion-inhibiting coating. It may also be treated to provide a good bonding surface for the paint or other protective coating to be applied to the siding planks. Of course, the venting member may be formed of aluminum, copper, bronze or any other suitable material. The venting member is formed with a horizontal bottom wall 20 of a width sufficient to abut and span the upper face of the rib 13, there being provided a depending flange 21 on the forward edge of the bottom walls 20 for engaging the forward or outer face of the rib 13 and being of a width slightly less than that of the wall 20.

A vertical back wall 22 extends upwardly from the rear longitudinal edge of the bottom wall 20 to a point well above the bottom wall 15 of the recess 14 and is then bent downwardly on itself forming a double wall thickness 23 at the upper end of the back wall 22 which is adapted to abut the rearward side of the upper siding plank 19 above the recess 14. At the plane of the bottom wall of the recess, the venting member is bent forwardly to form a top wall 24 adapted to abut the bottom wall 15 of the recess, the top wall 24 carrying a depending flange 25 on its forward longitudinal edge adapted to abut the side wall 16 of the recess 14 and being of a width equal to or greater than the width of said side wall 16. Thus, the venting member snugly engages and receives or is received by the rib 13 of the lower siding panel 18 and the recess 14 of the upper siding panel 19.

The back wall 22 of the venting member is provided with ventilation apertures opening into the interior space between the siding 12-and the inner wall 12, the size and shape of the apertures being subject to considerable variation. In the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6, the apertures 26 are rectangular or square and are formed by punching or striking a three-sided opening in the back wall while causing a flap or tab 27, integral with and still attached to the back wall 22, to be bent forwardly at an angle and thus overlie the openings 26 in a protective position. Thus, although the apertures 26 are protected by the overhang of the upper flange 25 and the lower longitudinal edge of the siding planks 19, they are further protected by the tabs 27.

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 3, the apertures 28 are similar to the apertures 26 but have rounded bottoms, and the outer extremities of the overlying tab 29 are correspondingly rounded. Louver type ventilation apertures are employed in the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the elongate apertures 30 being overlaid by elongate angular hoods or flanges 31 integral with the back wall 22 and being struck or punched therefrom. Desirably the apertures of all forms of the invention are arranged in superposed pairs and are spaced uniformly along the length of the venting member. As shown and described, the venting member is one integral piece of sheet metal.

It is quite apparent that the venting member is easily and quickly installed following the same procedure as utilized for securing one of the siding planks 12 in position upon the studs 11, providing quite ample ventilation facilities and presenting a neat and attractive external appearance. Of course, the exposed portion of the venting member is readily painted or otherwise coated at the same time the siding planks 12 are so treated. Obviously, wire mesh screening 32, hardware cloth or the like may be applied over the ventilation apertures in any suitable manner, as from the rearward side thereof, or may be suitably positioned to span the gap between the flange 25 and the bottom wall 20.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory thereof and various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A venting member for wooden siding of the type in which the lower one of a pair of adjoining siding planks has the forward side of its upper longitudinal edge cut away to form an upstanding rib on the rearward portion of said upper edge and the upper one of the pair of planks has the rearward side of its lower longitudinal edge cut away to form a recess for receiving the upstanding rib of the lower plank and thus constitute an overlapping joint, the venting member including an elongate sheet metal body adapted to be received throughout the length of the joint between two adjoining siding planks, the body having a horizontal bottom wall substantially the same width as the upstanding rib of the lower plank and adapted to abut the upper face of the rib of the lower plank, a vertical flange depending from the forward edge of bottom wall adapted to abut the forward face of the rib, a vertical back wall having ventilation apertures therein extending upwardly from the rearward edge of the bottom wall adapted to lie in the vertical plane of the rearward faces of the upper and lower planks and of sufficient width as to extend upwardly behind the upper plank, the back wall being folded forwardly upon itself and extending downwardly and then forwardly to form beneath the plane of the upper edge of the back wall a forwardly extending top wall substantially the same width as the bottom of the recess of the upper plank adapted to abut the bottom of the recess of the upper plank, and a vertical depending flange on the forward edge of the top wall adapted to abut the side wall of said recess.

2.- A venting member as set forth in claim 1 wherein the back wall has forwardly projecting tabs overlying the ventilation apertures.

3. A venting member as set forth in claim 1 where the ventilation apertures are louvers.

4. A venting member as set forth in claim 1 wherein the flange depending from the forward edge of the top wall is of suflicient width as to extend the entire depth of the side wall of the recess. 5. A venting member as set forth in claim 1 wherein the ventilation apertures are punched out openings, the punched out portions of the back wall being integral with the back wall and forming tabs projecting forwardly therefrom and overlying the ventilation apertures.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,772,694 8/ 1930 White 52-726 2,905,072 9/ 1959 Oswald 52l01 3,029,560 4/ 1962 Benson 52-471 3,256,654 6/1966 Pinckney 98-37 FOREIGN PATENTS 685,111 4/1964 Canada.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

J. L. RIDGILL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A VENTING MEMBER FOR WOODEN SIDING OF THE TYPE IN WHICH THE LOWER ONE OF A PAIR OF ADJOINING SIDING PLANKS HAS THE FORWARD SIDE OF ITS UPPER LONGITUDINAL EDGE CUT AWAY TO FORM AN UPSTANDING RIB ON THE REARWARD PORTION OF SAID UPPER EDGE AND THE UPPER ONE OF THE PAIR OF PLANKS HAS THE REARWARD SIDE OF ITS LOWER LONGITUDINAL EDGE CUT AWAY TO FORM A RECESS FOR RECEIVING THE UPSTANDING RIB OF THE LOWER PLANK AND THUS CONSTITUTE AN OVERLAPPING JOINT, THE VENTING MEMBER INCLUDING AN ELONGATED SHEET METAL BODY ADAPTED TO BE RECEIVED THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH OF THE JOINT BETWEEN TWO ADJOINING SIDING PLANKS, THE BODY HAVING A HORIZONTAL BOTTOM WALL SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME WIDTH AS THE UPSTANDING RIB OF THE LOWER PLANK AND ADAPTED TO ABUT THE UPPER FACE OF THE RIB OF THE LOWER PLANK, A VERTICAL FLANGE DEPENDING FROM THE FORWARD EDGE OF BOTTOM WALL ADAPTED TO ABUT THE FORWARD FACE OF THE RIB, A VERTICAL BACK WALL HAVING VENTILATION APERTURES THEREIN EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE REARWARD EDGE OF THE BOTTOM WALL ADAPTED TO LIE IN THE VERTICAL PLANE OF THE REARWARD FACES OF THE UPPER AND LOWER PLANKS AND OF SUFFICIENT WIDTH AS TO EXTEND UPWARDLY BEHIND THE UPPER PLANK, THE BACK WALL BEING FOLDED FORWARDLY UPON ITSELF AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY AND THEN FORWARDLY TO FORM BENEATH THE PLANE OF THE UPPER EDGE OF THE BACK WALL A FORWARDLY EXTENDING TOP WALL SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME WIDTH AS THE BOTTOM OF THE RECESS OF THE UPPER PLANK ADAPTED TO ABUT THE BOTTOM OF THE RECESS OF THE UPPER PLANK, AND A VERTICAL DEPENDING FLANGE ON THE FORWARD EDGE OF THE TOP WALL ADAPTED TO ABUT THE SIDE WALL OF SAID RECESS. 